Can You Answer These Hard Bible Questions in 7 Minutes?

About This Quiz

There's a reason Bible study is a common practice among those of the Christian faith. There's so much to learn that daily devotions are required to soak up the endless information. Have you studied enough of the Bible to know all of its teachings? Here's a quiz where you can find out just that.

Though different sects of Christianity contend that there are a different number of books in the Bible, most of these groups recognize at least 66 of the books to be legitimate. Of those books, there are 40 different authors with some living hundreds of years apart. That's a lot of information for even the most faithful believers to soak up and memorize.

Did you start learning the Bible early enough to obtain its vast wealth of knowledge? Have you even read the entire thing from cover to cover, including every book and passage? Maybe you have a grasp over the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus, but some of those Old Testament stories were lost on you when the preacher went through them.

When you're ready to put your faith to the ultimate test, get started with this quiz and see if those Sunday school lessons can pay off.

Wiki Commons by David Berkowitz

In the beginning, God created the first man from what?

Water

Wood

Dust

Air

According to biblical tradition, Adam was the first man raised by God from the dust after the earth was created. Once Adam was formed, God took one of his ribs and made the first woman, Eve.

Jim Padgett / Read'n Grow Picture Bible Illustrations / Wiki Commons

When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they realized they were naked and covered themselves with which material?

Fig leaves

Deer skin

Tree bark

Cloth

Coming after the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the third tree to come up in the Bible is the fig tree. The fig tree is discussed several other times throughout the book, often representing prosperity.

Ivan-96 / DigitalVision Vectors / Getty Images

Why did the Lord favor Abel over Cain, leading to the former's death?

Abel's strength

Abel's dedication

Abel's wisdom

Abel's offering

Cain, who was born first, was given the responsibility of tilling the land, while Abel took on the role of the shepherd. Each brother gave an offering to God from what they produced, but God favored Abel's offering, leading to Cain's jealousy.

Wiki Commons by Алонсо Кано

A descendent of Adam, who was the son of Lamech?

Seth

Noah

Shem

Enosh

The story of Noah depicts him as a man of righteousness caught up in a world of violence. God sought to punish those who disturbed the planet he created, so he caused a great flood. However, since Noah was a good man, God decided to spare his life.

Wiki Commons by Badener

To keep them from such accomplishments, the Lord split the people of the world after they built a tower where?

Bethany

Jericho

Jerusalem

Babel

The Tower of Babel shows why the separate peoples of the world speak different languages. In the story, God was worried about what people could do if they worked together after they created the tower, so he split them apart to slow their progression.

Ivan-96 / DigitalVision Vectors / Getty Images

How did God destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness?

A flood

Fire and brimstone

An earthquake

An invading army

God's wrath in the Old Testament often knew no bounds, especially when it came to punishing the unfaithful. Fire and brimstone were one of the most popular punishments, which usually struck fear simply as a threat.

Wiki Commons by Hult, Adolf, 1869-1943; Augustana synod.

What did God ask Abraham to sacrifice on a mountain in Moriah to prove his loyalty?

His son

His final sheep

His wife

His dog

To show his dedication to the Lord, Abraham was told to bring his son to Moriah and sacrifice him in the name of God. However, the sacrifice was interrupted by God, and Abraham was informed that his decedents would grow substantially because of his loyalty.

Wiki Commons by Livioandronico2013

Do you know where Jacob's ladder in his dream led to?

Jerusalem

Hell

Heaven

Jordan River

When Jesus talks about heaven in the New Testament, he describes it as a place of many rooms. When he returns to Heaven, it is to prepare it for those followers who will come after him.

James Tissot / Joseph Sold Into Egypt / Wiki Commons

Who sold Joseph to the Egyptians due to jealousy?

His father

His brothers

His king

His uncle

After Joseph is sent to Egypt by his jealous brothers, he is sold as a slave to a soldier named Potiphar. While in Egypt, God watched over Joseph, helping him to stop a famine that won him the good graces of the king.

Wiki Commons by Hult, Adolf, 1869-1943; Augustana synod.

In which book does Moses deliver the Israelites from Egypt?

Exodus

Genesis

Numbers

Joshua

Part of the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt involved Moses parting the Red Sea. God granted Moses this ability as his people were fleeing from a pursuing Egyptian army, who were annihilated when the sea came crashing back down.

Wiki Commons by Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov

Can you remember the 10th plague placed upon the Egyptians by God when the Israelites were enslaved?

Locusts

Boils

Darkness for three days

Death of the firstborn son

In Egyptian society, the firstborn son had complete power within the family structure, which made this plague that much more impactful. God did not spare any Egyptian this fate, casting it upon everyone from the pharaoh down to the slaves.

Are you familiar with which commandment says you shouldn't commit murder?

First

Third

Sixth

Eighth

In the Book of Exodus, Moses travels with the Israelites to Mount Sinai after their fight with the Amalekites. There, he is given the Ten Commandments, written on stone tablets, from God.

Wiki Commons by Snapshots Of The Past

While waiting on Moses to return, the Israelites cast an idol in the shape of what?

A calf

A sheep

A dog

A man

After Moses' departure to Mount Sinai, it didn't take long for the Israelites to depart from God, fearing that Moses was dead. Moses did return, however, and dealt with those who idolized the golden calf in a horrific manner, forcing them to eat the calf after it was melted.

Kemter / E+ / Getty Images

As Moses' time came to an end, who was chosen to be his successor?

Aaron

Micah

Joshua

Samuel

Starting with the events of the Exodus, Joshua was a central figure in the Old Testament. After escaping Egypt, he was given the task of commanding a military force against the Amalekites, a battle of which he came out on the winning side.

Wiki Commons by Willem van Nieulandt the Younger

How many spies were sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan?

3

5

8

12

The Twelve Spies were sent into the land of Canaan to report back their findings, though 10 of them reported that the area could not be conquered. God punished their lack of faith by forcing the Israelites into the desert for 40 years.

Wiki Commons by Daniel Case

What did the Israelites have to do to bring down the walls of Jericho?

Build a fire

Blow trumpets

Raise a staff

Sacrifice a lamb

The walls of Jericho surrounded the first city that the Israelites were to conquer in the conquest of Canaan. To bring down the walls, they marched around the city for seven days, finally sounding their trumpets on the seventh day which sent the walls to the ground.

Wiki Commons by Andreas Praefcke

Do you know which Judge was the first sent by God to deliver the Israelites from Cushan-rishathaim?

Deborah

Othniel

Tola

Elon

Othniel gained his fame from conquering the city of Debir by defeating the Canaanites who lived there. Once the victory was achieved, Othniel was given a wife, Achsah, the daughter of Caleb, as a reward.

Gideon's army was down to how many soldiers before the Lord intervened to defeat the Midianites?

300

1,000

5,000

10,000

When Gideon initially raised an army, there were over 32,000 soldiers employed, but God decided that this was too many people for him to deliver a victory for the Israelites. God eventually selected 300 soldiers to follow Gideon, telling them that this will make the soldiers humble in their victory.

Robert Muckley / Moment / Getty Images

Where did Samson's incredible strength that he once used to fight a lion come from?

His robe

His shoes

His bracelets

His hair

It was love that brought about Samson's downfall, as he revealed to a woman named Delilah the secret of his strength. Knowing this, she had his hair cut and betrayed him to the Philistines who gouged out his eyes and shackled him as a prisoner.

The result of a punishment for the sins of his sons, how did Eli die?

A plague

Slain by his enemies

A broken neck

Crucifixion

In the Bible, Eli failed to stop the wicked ways of his two sons, Hophni and Phineas, who were well-known for their bad behavior. God turned against them, bringing bad luck and death to the two sons during a battle with the Philistines. After hearing the news, Eli fell from his seat and broke his neck.

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout / Louvre Museum / Wiki Commons

God made the Judge Samuel responsible for appointing what?

A king

12 priests

A bishop

An emperor

Unlike most other nations at the time, the Israelites did not have a king, and as Samuel aged, the question of succession became a prominent talking point. Samuel decided to anoint a king rather than wait for another judge to be appointed.

Wiki Commons by Hult, Adolf, 1869-1943; Augustana synod.

Which tribe did Saul fail to destroy completely, leading to his falling out with Samuel?

Moabites

Ammonites

Amalekites

Philistines

The Amaleks were an important tribe in the Bible, and they were reported as the first tribe the Israelites were contested against after crossing the Sea of Reeds. According to archaeologists, these early encounters might not have occurred but were instead drawn from later conflicts that took place.

Wiki Commons by Badener

When he faced Goliath, how many stones did David carry in his bag?

One

Five

Seven

10

The tale of David and Goliath is one that has been played out throughout history, from military victories to sporting accomplishments. After all, the story of a shepherd who defeats a giant with the cast of a single stone is easy to be prideful about.

Wiki Commons by Ben P L

David brings the Ark of the Covenant to what city after he becomes king?

Cairo

Babylon

Bethlehem

Jerusalem

Dating back over 3,000 years, the city of Jerusalem has fallen into the hands of several different empires throughout its history. Those empires include the Persians, Romans, Ottomans, and British.

Wiki Commons by Hult, Adolf, 1869-1943; Augustana synod.

Who is credited with building the First Temple in Jerusalem?

Ahab

Elijah

Solomon

Jehoram

Also known as Solomon's Temple, the First Temple in Jerusalem was built to honor God and to house the Ark of the Covenant. The temple lasted until Jerusalem was sieged and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II around 587 BC.

Wiki Commons by SMU Central University Libraries

The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, resulting in how many lost tribes of Israel?

4

6

8

10

According to tradition, the 12 tribes of Israel were all decedents from the 12 sons of Jacob. Their names were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin.

Wiki Commons by Mortier.Daniel

The prophet Daniel is cast into a den filled with what?

Lions

Gold

Snakes

Locusts

In the Old Testament, Daniel was an important leader under King Darius, who ruled over Babylon. However, when Darius passed a law that required Daniel to turn against God and worship him instead, Daniel refused and was cast into the lion's den. Miraculously, he survived.

Wiki Commons by William Caxton

Where was Cyrus king when he allowed the Jews to return to their homeland?

Rome

Persia

Sparta

Egypt

Cyrus the Great came to power, ruling over the Achaemenid Dynasty, after the death of his father, Cambyses I. Cyrus was a great conqueror, expanding the reach of the Persians, but he was also tolerant of those who were his subjects, providing religious freedoms if they followed him.

Wiki Commons by Nina-no

What was the name given to the three men who came to visit Jesus when he was born in Bethlehem?

Three kings

Three scholars

Three priests

Three wise men

The three wise men, also known as magi, were most likely advisors to the king. These advisors were some of the brightest minds at the time, utilizing the stars and dreams to make predictions about the future.

Wiki Commons by Andreas Wahra

Can you identify the river where Jesus was baptized?

Jordan River

Tigris River

Nile River

Euphrates River

As Christianity became prominent in slave communities across the American South, the Jordan River became a central theme in many of their songs. The river was used as a representation of freedom.

Wiki Commons by Gustave Doré

When Jesus traveled to the Judean wilderness, for how many days was he tempted by Satan?

12 days

20 days

40 days

100 days

The number 40 comes up several times in the Bible, starting in the Old Testament. Typically, the figure depicts a time of trial or punishment like when God flooded the earth for 40 days and 40 nights in the Book of Genesis.

Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder / Museum Catharijneconvent / Wiki Commons

As part of his ministry, which miracle did Jesus perform on Lazarus?

Fed his family

Raised him from the dead

Healed his blindness

Helped him walk again

According to the Bible, Lazarus of Bethany had been dead and buried for four days before Jesus resurrected him. In the Book of John, this story is told as the last miracle Jesus performed before his resurrection.

Wiki Commons by User:Vmenkov

Who did Jesus anoint as the "rock" from which the church will be built?

Judas

James

Peter

John

After Peter was granted the task of carrying on the church of Christ, he traveled to Rome to continue his preachings. While in Rome, he was martyred for his faith. Since his death, popes in the Catholic Church have claimed their authority from him.

Wiki Commons by Heinrich Hofmann

Are you familiar with the empire that put Jesus to death after charges were laid against him?

The Romans

The Athenians

The Egyptians

The Persians

Jerusalem was under Roman control during the time of Jesus. Jewish leaders living in Jerusalem were able to convince their Roman occupiers that Jesus was a threat to their rule since he claimed to be the King of Israel.

Wiki Commons by Didier Descouens

Do you know what the disciples consumed during the Last Supper to represent the body and blood of Jesus?

Raw lamb

Bread and wine

Fish and water

Pork and wine

As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire during its early years, the Romans feared the Christians, though not necessarily for their faith. Instead, they thought the Christians were cannibals because they didn't understand that the sacrament was bread and wine.

Fra Angelico / Museum of San Marco / Wiki Commons

Where did Jesus ascend to heaven after his death and resurrection?

Moriah

Mount Sinai

Calvary

Mount of Olives

For centuries, the Mount of Olives was used as a Jewish cemetery, holding thousands of graves. Today, the mount is a famous site for pilgrims who travel to Jerusalem from all over the world.

Wiki Commons by Jim Padgett

Prior to his calling, what did the disciple Matthew do for a living?

Fisherman

Tax collector

Priest

Carpenter

The Book of Matthew is the first gospel in the New Testament of the Bible. Most likely written in the first century, the book tells the story of the life of Jesus, his death and resurrection.

Wiki Commons by Godot13

Can you identify the item placed on the head of Jesus as an act of humiliation while he was being beaten?

Wreath

Golden crown

Crown of thorns

Roman helmet

According to the gospel, the crown of thorns was placed upon the head of Jesus by the Romans. They then bent a knee to mock him by claiming he was "King of the Jews," a title his followers used.

Wiki Commons by Jean-Baptiste Despax

Which miracle led Peter, James and John to leave behind their lives and follow Jesus?

Catching of fish

Healing the blind

Walking on water

Healing of lepers

Fish, called "dag" in Hebrew, comes up several times throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. When it does come up, the term is often associated with growth and fertility.

Wiki Commons by Raúl V.G.R.

The angels in Heaven will be led by who against the devil and his followers during the apocalypse?

Uriel

Raphael

Gabriel

Michael

As the combatant of the enemies of God, Michael is associated with defending God's rule in Biblical tradition. Some scholars have determined that Michael is actually Jesus, as his name in heaven is different than that on earth.

Sponsored Links

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Get smarter every day! Subscribe & get 1 quiz every week.

Playing quizzes is free! We send trivia questions and personality tests every week to your inbox. By
clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our
privacy policy and confirming that you are 13
years old or over.